Bovine Upper Musculoskeletal Apparatus and Small Ruminant Disease

What are the THREE major indications for leg amputation?

1. Septic distal limb fractures

2. Salvage animals of high genetic/emotional value

3. Salvage to allow slaughter for consumption

In the forelimb, you should amputate the ————— and the ————- in the hindlimb.

Distal humerus

Distal femur

Why do you not amputate with a long stump remaining?

Try to walk on and keep injuring

What are the THREE features that must be true in order for you to move forward with an amputation?

1. Able to rise on 3 limbs

2. No defect/lameness on remaining limbs

3. Owner must be able to provide aftercare (housing/chores)

What is the abnormal ossification and bone development of bone?

Who is it most common in?

OC/OCD

Beef steers/bulls

What is the usual age of OC/OCD?

6-18 months

What FOUR things are OC/OCD associated with?

1. Rapid growth

2. Grain-rich diet

3. High P:Ca ratio

4. Abnormal biomechanics

T/F: OC/OCD usually affects the fastest growing animals in a group and usually is in individuals, not a herd.

True!

T/F: OC/OCD pathophys is incompletely understood, but growth cartilage is abnormally retained by abnormal vasculature, nutrition, degeneration, or ossification. It is associated with effects of shearing forces.

True!

What are the TWO major signs of OC/OCD?

1. Mild-moderate lameness

2. Multiple joints (usually)

OC/OCD is most common in what THREE joints?

1. Tarsus

2. Carpus

3. Stifle

When is more severe lameness seen in OC/OCD?

Joint mouse present

What are the FOUR treatments of OC/OCD?

1. Stall rest with soft bedding

2. Removal of high caloric diet

3. NSAIDs

4. Arthroscopy

What are the THREE progressive lesions of the stifle in progressive order of pain and lameness?

Collateral ligament tear -> meniscus tears -> cruciate ligament tears

What stifle injury involves mild, acute lameness and medial to lateral joint instability?

What does it lead to?

Ruptured collateral ligament

Degenerative joint disease

The (medial/lateral) meniscus is the most common to tear.

Medial

What kind of cow is most susceptible to meniscal tears?

Heavy-muscled beef bulls

What are FOUR clinical signs/sequelae of meniscal tears?

1. Moderate lameness

2. Palpable/audible click while walking

3. Excessive stifle motion

4. DJD

What is the most severe lameness of stifle injuries?

Cruciate ligament tears

What are FIVE clinical signs/sequelae of cruciate ligament tears?

1. Reluctant to flex stifle while walking

2. Drawer sign when walking

3. Muscle atrophy of hip/thigh

4. Joint effusion

5. DJD

T/F: You can do a drawer sign, but you're probably gonna get your shit rocked. You can try to stimulate it with a broom or something.

True!

What is the conservative treatment for cruciate ligament tears?

Stall rest 4-6 weeks with 2-6 months sexual rest

What splint has controversial use in cruciate ligament tears and immobilizes for 6-8 weeks followed by additional 4 months sexual rest, but risks additional atrophy of the limb?

Walker splint

Why is surgery controversial in cruciate ligament tears?

Weight of animal and low likelihood of joint stabilization with surgical repair

What are THREE radiographic findings of cruciate ligament tears?

1. Chronic DJD

2. Calcification posterior femorotibial joint

3. Cranial displacement femur

T/F: Upward fixation of the patella can be complete or momentary.

True!

What are THREE signs of upward fixation of the patella?

1. Leg locks in posterior phase of stride

2. Unlocking causes abduction as advances anterior stride

3. Toe blunted from dragging

Upward fixation is more common in bos —- due to a ———- conformaiton.

Indicus

Post-legged

What are the THREE classifications of coxofemoral joint conditions and what are they associated with?

1. Developmental- OCD (extremely rare)

2. Septic- amphalophlebitis (polyarthritis)

3. Traumatic- luxation; pelvic fractures

What is traumatic injury of coxofemoral luxation usually associated with?

What cows is it most commonly seen in?

Poor footing

Lactating dairy cows

Coxofemoral luxation can occur secondary to what TWO things?

1. Peripheral paralysis due to parturition

2. Metabolic/electrolyte imbalances- weakness

Coxofemoral luxation may occur when a cow is —- during —-.

Mounted

Estrus

What visual feature is often associated with coxofemoral luxation?

Toes out

What are TWO ways you can assess coxofemoral luxation by conformation?

1. Measure distance between greater trochanter to dorsal sacrum (should be symmetrical)

2. Measure distance between greater trochanter to tuber ischii (should be symmetrical)

What kind of luxation of the hip is the most common?

Cranial dorsal (greater trochanter usually cranial and dorsal to normal location)

How do you treat coxofemoral luxation?

What could be done if within 24 hour after injury?

None- permanent injury of affected limb with reduced prodcution

Closed reduction

What THREE things must be done with a closed reduction for luxation if within2 4 hours of injury?

1. Heavy sedation/general anesthesia

2. Calf jack- overcome muscle contracture and facilitate luxation reduction

3. Hobble rear limbs 2-4 weeks to prevent abduction following reduction

T/F: Bovine spine conditions are extremely common.

False! Bovine spine conditions are extremely RARE.

What are the FOUR major spine conditions of cattle?

1. Physitis of vertebral bodies (nutritional factors)

2. Congenital (hemivertebrae; congenital arthrogryposis)

3. Luxations

4. Vertebral physeal slips

T/F: Congenital arthrogryposis may also be associated with in-utero viral exposure.

True!

Where does spinal luxation most commonly occur?

What kind of cows does it occur most commonly in?

Lumbosacral junction

Calves or occasional heifers mounted by large bulls

T/F: Clinical signs of spinal luxation depends on the degree of nerve damage.

True!

What is uncommon in young bulls beginning mounting activity?

Vertebral physeal slips

Clinical signs of vertebral physeal slips are usually consistent with what?

Spinal cord compression

What acquired spine condition in the cow is asymptomatic or signs may be consistent with back pain and stiffness?

Spondylosis

T/F: Spondylosis may be palpable per rectum if the posterior spine is involved.

True!

What are the THREE major physical exam findings that indicate bovine spinal disease?

1. Abnormal gait/posture

2. Rise front end first

3. Posterior weakness (tail/anal tone, sidewalking, proprioception)

T/F: Spine rads are difficult and thermography can be used to detect increased or decreased skin temperature that can hellp with lesion localization.

True!

Spastic syndrome is a (voluntary/involuntary) muscle contraction involving the (fore/hind)limbs and often progresses (cranially/caudally).

Involuntary

Hindlimbs

Cranially

What is spastic syndrome often precipitated by?

Painful event (sore foot, etc.)

T/F: Spastic syndrome has an onset of 3-7 years, the mode of inheritance is not clear, and there are no postmortem lesions.

True!

What condition is progressive spastic contraction of the hindlimb and develops within 2 weeks to 6 months of age?

Elso heel

How does elso heel present?

Initially stiff movement and straight hock that is progressive

T/F: Elso heel is only bilateral.

False! Elso heel is UNILATERAL OR BILATERAL.

Elso heel is associated with a (dominant/recessive) gene with incomplete penetrance and (has/no) postmortem lesions.

Recessive

No

CAE is a slowly progressive arthritis in what animals?

Adult goats

T/F: 25% of seropositive animals are affected with CAE.

True!

T/F: One or both carpi are affected in CAE and other joints are possible. It experiences a proliferative synovitis.

True!

What is the causative agent of chlamydial polyarthritis?

Chlamydophilia pecorum

Chlamydial polyarthritis has a high morbidity in what animal?

Weaned lambs

What are FIVE clinical signs of chlamydial polyarthritis?

1. Polyarthritis (most important)

2. Conjunctivitis (most important)

3. Depression

4. Fever

5. Recumbency

How do you treat chlamydial polyarthritis?

Oxytetracycline

Mycoplasmal polyarthritis is mainly a disease of what animal?

Dairy goats (other goats/sheep can be susceptible)

What age is most affected by mycoplasmal polyarthritis?

Kids (3-8 weeks)

How can mycoplasma be shed?

Milk of asymptomatic carriers

What are the THREE mycoplasma species that can cause mycopplasmal polyarthritis?

1. Mycoplasma mycoides ss capri

2. Mycoplasma agalactiae

3. Mycoplasma capricolum ss capripneumoniae

You should think of what disease with pneumonia + ocular + joint?

Mycoplasmal polyarthritis

Name FIVE of the eight clinical signs of mycoplasmal polyarthritis.

1. Polyarthritis

2. Pneumonia

3. Peritonitis

4. Mastitis

5. Conjunctivitis

6. Pericarditis

7. Meningitis

8. Death

What is the major difference in foot rot in sheep/goats compared to cattle?

CONTAGIOUS, not just infectious!

What are THREE predisposing factors of contagious digital dermatitis or infectious footrot?

1. Breed/genetics

2. Moisture/warm weather

3. Overgrown toes

T/F: The causative agent of contagious ovine digitial dermatitis/footrot is Fusobacterium necrophorum.

False! The causative agent is DICHELOBACTER NODOSUS in small ruminants. Fusobacterium necrophorum causes footrot in cattle.

What does severity depend on with small ruminant footfot that bovine footrot does NOT?

Virulence factors

T/F: Although contagious, small ruminant footrot is still relatively easy to treat with topical or systemic drugs.

True!

How is infectious footrot transmitted?

Soil

What does infectious footrot treatment depend on?

Number of affected animals

Name FOUR ways to treat infectious footrot.

1. Hoof trimming

2. Antiseptic/antibiotic bandages

3. Footbaths

4. Systemic antibiotics